2007 L.A. Auto Show: Hope Springs Eternal in the Vector Avtech WX-8
Of course you remember Vector, everyone’s fourth-favorite supercar from the early nineties. Inspired by, and often built with, parts from the aeronautical industry, the various Vectors were self-proclaimed works of aeromotive engineering.
(Click through the jump to read on about Gerald Wiegert latest creation, including the official press release.)
Gerald Wiegert is back in action at this year’s L.A. Auto Show and up to his old tricks with the concept (and this one is very conceptual) version of the Vector Avtech WX-8. According to Wiegert, the WX-8 will be powered by an American-made V-8 producing 750 horsepower in supercharged trim, and capable of shrieking performance numbers like a 3.3 second 0-60 time, and a top speed approaching 270 mph with “Bonneville gearing.
Comments
Aaron
"Hyper-Tech Performance Vehicle"
HA! What a load. Their marketing ploy is just about as outdated as the styling of the car. And, I don't care how raked back the windshield is, I'm not sure a blown OHV American V8 qualifies as "ultra-super-exotic."
jason
"Its design represents a significant aerodynamic and aesthetic breakthrough..."
Funny, considering the headlights look like they're off the last Toyota Supra that came to the U.S. back in the early '90s.
Mark M
It's Camaro meets Supra meets 80's supercar design.
Oh, and there's taillights off an old CR-V too.
dante
I admire the persistence, but Mr. Wiegert should realize that some things just aren't meant to be. Thankfully in some instances.
Jonathan Fung [Gotakon]
Wow. Even from the pictures, it's pretty obvious that the build quality isn't exactly up to par with other supercars...or any cars in general.
I have to wonder how it'd fare in a crash test.
will
I still somehow respect it worlds more than the SCC Aero.
Alexander López
YES! YES! YES! More Vector! As a hopeless fan, I must applaud Mr. Wiegert. The Vector W8 has been one of the best supercars of all times, and its owners can claim a reliability record unsurpassed by any other exotic vehicle. True, an american V-8 is not exotic, but it's dependable and parts are widely available.
Go on, Gerald!! If I just have the $$$$...
Bob
I distinctly remember the emergence of the original Vector on the cover of Mr. Davis's Car & Driver. It was one of the great photo layouts that surpassed the potentcy of a defibrillator twisted to max power. I wore out that issue just drooling over it.
Sadly, the new iteration (and you have to admire Gerry's gumption) fails to capture even a tiny bit of that, now well-worn, 'aeromotive' proposition. Give him some credit for trying, though.
Kev
Lopez, you must be a hopeless fan, where do you get your facts? Vectors never matched the hype and there were over heating issues with the W-8s. Their handling was poor compared to other cars of the time, such as the McLaren F-1, 911, and F40. I do not think the American V-8 part is a factor is what makes a car exotic. If that was the case the Pantera, Koeingsegg, Saleen S7, Iso, and others would not be exotics.
What was shown at the LA Auto Show appears to be a very unfinished concept car based on the articles and comments I have seen. Vector nor Wiegert have much credit left after over hyping the W-8. Just the fact he uses the word Hyper with this car is a laugh.
If you look at what VW went through to make the Veyron, Vector has the odds majorly stacked against it. Their is no sign of the money or resources to build a car that matches the stats they have thrown out in the PR release.
I do hope Wiegert finds some way of making it, because I to was fan of the Vector W-8 and I still think it is a cool car. I just know it is not best car built back then. It has great character, but it had flaws, as many cars do, and cannot match cars such as the MclAren F-1, Porsche GT1, Ferrari F40, Bugatti Eb110, or even the Jaguar XJ220.
I think anyone who really knows Vector and Wiegert's past, knows it took two decades to produce their first car and it had some issues and never met the hype. There is nothing about this time around to make me believe this car will be any different. The only thing that may work to his favor is technology has evolved enough to allow smaller builders to make better cars in a short period of time.
Vector has never made more than 20 copies of any model so far (W-8 and M-12). Odds of WX-8 getting made is slim to none and if it exceeded 20 copies I would pass out from the shock. I know it will not match the hyped numbers. Not unless it is built 20 years from now after others have already exceeded those specs.
94 taurus owner
Someone got those headlights off a supra.
Ducati Minor
The Vector W-8 premiered years before the McLaren F1. My uncle saw the car at either SEMA or the LA Auto Show. He recalled viewers commenting on how much the car resembled a Lamborghini Countach. The Vector W-8 was plagued with more problems than a Somali village.
Steve
The nose, windshield, all front lights, and even the wheels on the poster in the background look like they came off of some 90's Camaros. Considering what everyone else is saying, it's a frankencar. There honestly don't seem to be a whole lot of original ideas here.
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